Friday, February 19, 2016

The
Maha Magam is celebrated on the day when Jupiter and the Moon are in Simharasi
and the Sun in Kumbharasi on the full moon day in Maasi.

The legend

Anticipating
the deluge that would destroy the world, a worried Brahmma sought the help of
Lord Shiva who created a pot containing nectar and the seeds of creation (Jeeva
Raasis). Brahmma decorated the pot with coconut, darbha, mango leaves, sacred
thread, vastram and vilvam and placing the pot atop the Meru Hill (Chikkam)
performed pooja reciting the Shristi Bheeja mantras. When the deluge struck,
the pot was driven down the stream and finally came to rest in Thiru Kudanthai.

Lord
Shiva appeared as a hunter and shot an arrow to break open the pot from where
nectar dispersed in different directions and emerged as sacred Theertham in Potramarai
Tank (Sarangapani temple) and Maha Magam tank.

The
nose of the pot fell at Kudaivasal (currently about 15kms from Kumbakonam). The
nectar also spread across 5 kms from here and is referred to as Pancha Krosa
Sthalam.

In
a thanking gesture, Brahmma renovated and decorated the Maha Magam tank,
created a Theertham for himself and worshipped Kumbeswarar and treated him to a
ceremonial bath. The Maha Magam tank also comprises of Theertham relating to
the Lords of the eight frontiers, nine maidens of the sacred rivers and
celestials such as Kinnaras and Gandharvas.

Shiva
mixed sand with the nectar to create a lingam and worshipped it himself and
later merged with it. This was the first creation after the deluge and hence
this temple is referred to Aadhi Kumbeswarar (Oozhi Muthalvar). This Kiratha
(hunter) idol is a special feature at this temple. The Peedam contains 72000 mantras. The Magam
festival is a celebratory event to honour the contribution of the presiding
deity of the Kumbeswarar temple. Performing pooja on Magam star for Lord
Kumbeswarar is believed to bring about husband- wife unity, help in progeny and
liberate one from previous birth’s curse.

The
nine sacred rivers in order to extricate themselves of the burden of sins were
directed by Lord Shiva to visit the Maha Magam tank once in 12 years to take a
ceremonial bath on the Maha Magam day.

Parvathi
came in search of Lord Shiva and pleased with her visit, he made her sit near
him and requested her to provide darshan as Mangala Peedeswari and to bless
them with all Mangalam.

There
is no Abhishekam for the Lord as he is not of the granite stone idol. Every
Monday and on Pradosham, he is anointed with Ashta Gandham - 8 fragrant items.
Lord Kumbeswarar presents himself in a soft form here unlike his normally ugra
posture.

Special Number
12

Maha Magam is said to
happen once in 12 years. In reality it is celebrated after 4332 days (total of
these is 12). The difference between these two: 4380 days (365daysx12years) and
4332 days is 48, the total of which is also 12 (4+8)!!!

Brahmotsavam in
Maasi

Rudra
Abhishekam takes place a day before the flag is hoisted and the theertham is
taken to Maha Magam tank and poured there. It is in the Rishaba Lagnam- the one
that has no Dosham out of the 12 Lagnams- that Kumbeswarar enters the Maha
Magam tank for the Theerthavari Vaibhavam.

Roles interchanged at Thiru Kudanthai

Typically
Brahmma is the creator, Vishnu the protector and Shiva is the destroyer. But
here in Thiru Kudanthai, the roles were interchanged as seen from the legend
relating to the Magam festival. Brahmma protected the pot given by Shiva
(Vishnu’s role). Following the deluge, Shiva re-created the world by breaking
open the pot containing the nectar (Brahmma’s role). And Vishnu struck the
Sudarshana Chakra at the Sun God (Chakrapani temple) by taking on the Samhara role
(Shiva’s role).

Maha Magam Message from Periva Sri
Jayendra Saraswathi

This is an occasion that happens
once in 12 years when all the sacred rivers in our country visit the Maha Magam
in Thiru Kudanthai. The devotees need not worry that they have not been able to
visit each of those sacred rivers individually. Just bathing at the Maha Magam
tank during this period will secure them Punyam which will cleanse them of
their sins. Once the sins go away, difficulties will vanish and one will find happiness
all around.

When happiness grows and develops,
the devotees tend to get peace of mind. Only if one has peace of mind, will
life have found its merit for we should realise how blessed we are to have been
born as a human being. Only those who are born as humans have this privilege of
bathing in the Maha Magam tank.

It is important for us to keep
doing good things in this life on a daily basis to accumulate Punyam and thus
make ourselves worthy.

Brahmotsavam specially
for the Maha Magam

Maasi
is usually the time for Theppotsavam at the Sarangapani Divya Desam. However,
this month, as part of the Maha Magam festival, a special Brahmotsavam is being
celebrated. The Grand 10 day festival started last week, with the Garuda Vahana
procession taking place on Wednesday evening.

As
part of the Maha Magam celebrations, on Monday morning, Lord Sarangapani will
be joined by Lords from the four other ancient Perumal temples in Thiru
Kudanthai – Ramaswamy, Chakrapani, Rajagopalan and Aathi Varaha Perumal - on a joint
procession to the banks of the Cauvery for Theerthavari.

Maasi Magam and
an Exclusive Chakrapani Temple

When
the Sun Lord’s heat had once become unbearable due to his arrogance of being
the only one to provide shining bright light, Lord Vishnu, to teach him a
lesson, hurled his chakra forcing the Sun Lord to go into hiding. It was on the
Maasi Magam day that the Sun God first performed pooja invoking Lord Vishnu’s
blessings and requested him to provide darshan to devotees as Chakrath Azhvaar.
In memory of this event, the Chariot Festival is celebrated at the Chakrapani
temple on Maasi Magam every year.

Azhvaars
praising the Cauvery in Thiru Kudanthai

The
Maha Magam festival is about cleansing one’s sins by bathing in the sacred
theertham. Three Azhvaars have praised the sacred role of Cauvery in the lives
of the people of Kumbakonam.

Thirumazhisai
Azhvaar refers to Thiru Kudanthai temples reverberating with Vedic chanting by
scholars who were seen with folded hands. He praises Cauvery as one with gushing
waters. The presence of the Lord seen relaxing in the special slightly raised
reclining posture was indeed a boon to the Vedic Seers of Thiru Kudanthai. The
ever flowing water that was streaming down the Cauvery kept the town cool at
all times.

Nam
Azhvaar praises Lord Aravamudhan as shining amidst the fertile waters of the
Cauvery. It is the water from the Cauvery that has helped the growth of huge
quantity of paddy and the blooming of large Lotus flowers seen all around Thiru
Kudanthai.

In his verses, Thiru
Mangai Azhvaar refers to Betel that Kumbakonam is now famous for. He
specifically praises Thiru Kudanthai as a place where one finds huge fragrant
Betel Creepers receiving cool water from the Cauvery.

Maha Magam Celebrations

There will be a Pancha Moorthy Chariot Festival starting from the Kumbeswarar temple this Saturday and Sunday (20/21 Feb). On Monday (22 Feb), on the occasion of Maha Magam, Lord Kumbeswarar along with deities from 12 other Shiva temples will enter the Maha Magam tank for the celebration of Theerthavari Vaibhavam between 12noon and 1pm.( A part of this story featured today in The Hindu Friday Review)